Apparatus for the production of glass threads



Dec. 23, 1941. w.vEssER 21,257,019

APPARATUS FOR THE PRDUTION OF GLASS THREADS Filed on. 15, 1937 Patented Dec. 23, 1941 APPARATUS Foa THE PRODUCTION oF GLASS THREADS Wilhelm Esser, Bergedorf, Germany, assignor to the rm Oscar Gossler Glasgespnst-Fabrik Gesellschaft mit beschrnkter Haftung, Bergedorf, Germany Application October 15, 1937, Serial No. 169,315

- In Germany November 21, 1936 3 Claims.

The invention relates to apparatus for the production ofglass threads by melting glass in a container equipped with outlet apertures and Y heatedwith a liquid or gaseous heating agent.

It has already been proposed to produce glass threads by heating the glass in a container and allowing the molten material to emerge from `outlet apertures at the bottom either by mechanical drawing or spontaneously under the action of gravity. It has also been proposed to heat the furnace electrically or by means of liquid or gaseous fuels, and in the latter case the name has simply been directed on to the liquid glass. It has been found that therglass remote from the outlet apertures is heated to a higher temperature than the glass near the outletapertures and that moreover the glass is subjected to the high temperature for too long and is devitried, while the thermal value of the fuel is not adequately utilised.

These disadvantages are avoided by the present invention, which relates to apparatus for the production of glass threads by fusing glass in a container provided with outlet apertures and heated by means of liquid or gaseous fuel, the 25 feature ofthe invention being that the heating flames or heating4 gases are directed towards the apertured plate. Preferably the spinning nozzles constituted by the apertures are so arranged in the plate that they are located in flame zones of approximately equal temperature. suitably the nozzles are arranged concentrically with respect to the axisof the flame. According to a preferred embodiment the flames or heating gases are directed approximately at right-angles 35 to the apertured plate. It would also be possible to direct a plurality of flames against the apertured plate.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention a deilecting body is arranged approximately at the centre of the apertured plate so as to guide thev flame in such a way that the centre of the flame which has a lovvex` temperature coincides with the surface of this deflecting body. Preferably the thiclmess of the deflecting body is about equal to the thickness of the apertured plate and preferably the defiecting body is interchangeably arranged in the apertured plate.

The furnace according to the present invention preferably has the form of a body of rotation with the ame axis as directrix and internallyhas suitably the form of a cylindrical shaft.

Near the point where the ame enters, the 55 (Cl. 49-55) v furnace of nre-proof material is constructed in the form of a shaft and near the point where the heating gas emerges is furnished with a preheating or fusion chamber for the glass.

5 Preferably the fusion chamber is at a higher level than the clarification and/or spinning chamber, so that the glass can ow under the i action ofgravity in the opposite direction to the flow of the heating gas.

The furnace according to the present inven tion is preferably rotated and/or moved relatively -tothe flame. Suitably the furnace is moved simultaneously with respect to the spinning drum, e. g. is moved to and fro laterally.

According to 'one embodiment of the invention the llames or the heating gases are directed in counter-current to the 110W of the glass first of all into the vicinity of the outlet openings for the liquid glass, then are utilised for the clariiication of the molten glass, then for the fusion of the glass, and finally for preheating the glass. The .invention will now be described more fully by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 shows diagrammatically the direction of the flame against the apertured plate in accordance With the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through an embodiment similar to Fig. 1 with a deflecting body arranged in the centre of the apertured plate on'the centre line of the flame. 1

Fig. 3 shows a vertical longitudinal section through a furnace according to the present invention.

The essence of the present invention resides in that the flame 2 emerging-from the nozzle l, e. g. a gas llame, an oil flame or the like, is directed against the apertured plate 3 with the apertures 4 along the line A--A which is about 40 at right-angles to the plate as shown in Fig. 1.

'I'he molten glass, which is not shown in Fig. 1, is disposed above the plate 3 and emerges through the Iapertures 4 in the form of drops which inv known manner are dra-Wn out into fine threads by Winding on drums or the like.

In the present invention, as the flame is directed at right-angles against a surface such as the apertured plate 3 as shown in Fig. l, the heat is utilised not longitudinally of the flame but transversely to the axis thereof and due to economy in fuel and that for example withthe same number of apertures and with about the same dimensions of the furnace only one-fifth of the heating oil otherwise necessary is consumed when the heating is effected in accordance with the present invention.

It is known that in the interior of the ame 2 there is a centre core constituting a colder zone approximately at the point indicated by the reference I in Fig. 2, so that it is advisable to provide on the apertured plate 3 on the axis A-A of the fiame a so-called deflecting body I2 to deiiect the flame laterally. The surface of the I body I2A may be of streamlined configuration. It is however sufficient if it is slightly arched towards the flame. Preferably the deflecting body I2 is so constructed that it has approximately the same thicknesses the plate 3, as otherwise stresses which might cause fracture may arise between plate 3 and deiiecting body I2 if there are fluctuations in temperature. It is particularly advantageous to make the deecting body I2 interchangeable so that it vcan readily be replaced if fracture should occur.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in Fig. 3.

The container I3 in which'the glass is fused in the furnace according to the invention is produced in known manner from a fireproof material such as chamotte. The flame enters atrIS through a shaftlike portion forming a vertical channel or shaft, through which the ame 2 from the nozzle I is introduced in a vertically ydownward direction so that the flame is incident first of all in the chamber I8 on that part of the container provided with the spinning openings 4, i. e. the apertured plate 3. The chamber I8 is charged with molten glass which has the appropriate temperature for spinning. This chamber I8 above the spinning nozzles or outlet apertures 4 is called the spinning chamber I8. As seen from the drawing, the spinning chamber I8 is comparatively flat or dish-shaped. It is provided with a removable cover I9 and the central portion 2U of the apertured plate 3 is arched towards the fiame. At the centre of the flame this arched portion constitutes a defiecting body 20 similar to the deflecting body I2 in Fig. 2.

Arranged concentrically with respect to the. axis of the ame about the deflecting surface,

20 are the spinning nozzles 4, for example in five concentric circles in such a way that they all lie in zones of approximately equal temperature in the fiame.

Disposed laterally of the spinning chamber I8 are the fusion or clarification chambers 2| which are each connected with the spinning chamber I8 by two openings 23. Preferably the connecting channels 23 are so high that the lower edge 24 constitutes a ledge keeping back unfused glass so that the fusion space 2| constitutes a prechamber for the clarification of the molten glass and unmolten fragments of glass' or impurities are retained. If necessary a screen or the like may be incorporated to remove all impurities.

The fusion chamber 2|, which may have any suitable form, is provided at the top with an opening 25 which expands into a charging hopper 26 through which the charge of glass is introduced. The heating gases after giving up their main quantity of heat in the spinning chamber I8 and heating the glass I5 to the spinning temperature, pass through theco'nnecting channel 23 into the fusion and clarification chamber 2| in counter-current to the flow of glass and final-v ly emerge throughthe charging opening 26 of the fusion chamber 2 I.

Three fusion and clarification chambers 2| could, for examplefbe arranged around the spinning chamber I8 but naturally this number can be varied as desired and depends upon the particular arrangement employed and, if desired, a complete annular fusion and clarification chamber can be disposed around the spinning chamber v I8. As seen from the drawing, the heating channel Il above the spinning chamber I8 and the fusion container 2| may be surrounded with insulating material 21 and be protected by enclosure in a sheet metal housing 28l The furnace can be rotated about the longitudinal axis III-III. Also the burner I `can be rotated simultaneously in the direction of rotation of the furnace or in the opposite direction and with the same or different speed.

Provided beneath the furnace is a spinning drum 30 of known construction which turns about a shaft 3|. The threads emerging from the spinning apertures 4 are secured on this drum 30 and are wound up thereon by its rotation.

v flhe spinning drum may have a movement relative to the furnace in that the furnace performs a lateral movement to and fro in addition to the rotary movement, or else the spinning drum 30 itself is moved laterally.

This rotary movement may be accomplished by means of a shaft 35 which rotates a worm gear which latter is in mesh with the lgear 34 on the housing 28. The lower edges of the housing 28 rests on rollers 33 on which it rotates.

The mode of operation of the fusion device according to the present invention is as follows:

The fusion chamber 2| is charged through the opening 26 with the cullet or frit of suitable composition. Thereupon a flame produced from a suitable liquid or gaseous fuel is directed into the shaft or channel I I from the noz'zle I. The flame passes through the shaft into the spinning chamber' I8 and encounters the plate 3. From there it .is directed through the connecting channel 23 in counter-current to the fiow of glass into the fusion or clarification space 2|, heats the glass 29 introduced into the fusion chamber 2| to fusion temperature and fuses it, so that the excess fused glass can flow over the ledge 24 into the spinning chamber I8. Here the glass comes into contact with the'hotter heating gases and is heated'to the requisite spinning temperature of, for example, l500 C. which permts'a satisfactory spinning, the emergence from the spinning apertures under the action of gravity and the production of a satisfactory thread.

By directing the heating gases in counter-current to the flow of the glass the temperature of the glass constantly increases from the point where it is introduced to the point at which it emerges because during its passage through the furnace the glass encounters progressively hotter gases. In this way, in accordance with the known counter-current principle, a utilisation of heat which is satisfactory from the point of view of heat; technology is obtained. It has been found that this arrangement complies to a high extent with the practical requirements and it is surprising that the use of the counter-current principle affords increased technical advantages for the present case contrary to the opinion which has previously obtained, namely that there must be a temperature drop from the point where the glass is introduced'to the point where it emerges.

The container can have any suitableform. In-

stead or being in the form of a tall shaft, it may have a Vlow compact form, e. g. cylindrical or spherical. Also flames could be introduced into a horizontal cylinder' from both sides or from a number of directions and could be led out again separately or together.

Naturally the fusion temperatures depend upon the composition of the glass.y Also the dimensions of the container must be altered in accord- `ance with the particular working conditions.

` comprising a containerfor molten glass, an apertured plate inthe bottom of said container, a deecting body mounted centrally in said apertured plate, means for rotating the container around a flame axis, and means for directing a ame onto said plate in a direction substantially at right angles thereto with the cold-er coreof the name incident on said defiecting body.

2. An arrangement `for producing glass threads,

comprising a container for molten glass, an apertured plate in the bottom of said container. a deflecting body of substantially the same thickness as the apertured plate mounted centrally in saidapertured plate, means for rotating the container around a llame axis, and means for directing a llame onto said plate in a direction substantially at right angles thereto with the colder core-of the flame incident on said deflecting body.

3. An arrangement for producing glass threads, comprising a container for molten glass, an apertured plate in the bottom of said container, a

deecting body, means for interchangeably mounting said deecting body centrally in said apertured plate, means for rotating the container around a flame axis, and means for directing a flame onto said plate ina direction substantially at right angles thereto with the colder core of the iiame incident on said deiiecting body.

WILHELMESSER. 

